
面對著不斷出現的號角獸人,這次的危機,是塔庫魯出面來化解
走在最前頭的,是個鬍鬚斑白、臉上刻著歲月風霜的金蝗城老兵。他腳步一頓,在那條被巨獸蹄痕踏出來的小徑前停了下來,眉頭緊鎖,回頭對眾人說道:23Please respect copyright.PENANAAfGlsS6jcU
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「照經驗來看,哪兒有幽谷聖羊出沒,哪兒就可能會有號角獸人出沒。那些傢伙可不是來打獵的,他們是來撿聖獸的排遺——聽說對他們族群來說,那東西可是煉藥的寶貝。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAhad7GkuOX6
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他說著,指了指周圍陡峭的山壁,語氣沉重起來:「最麻煩的是,他們會爬。真.的.會.爬——像壁虎那樣貼在岩壁上,悄不聲息的,你根本防不住。這條山徑,要是出了事,我們連逃都難逃。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAwPQ7YW39lw
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隊長夸斯特和身旁的夥伴們互看一眼,皆是默默點頭。他們還記得剛出光牆那會兒,才跟這些該死的號角獸人打過照面,結果被逼得灰頭土臉、鑽進地道才撿回一條命。那種驟然從天而降的襲擊方式,讓人想忘都忘不了。23Please respect copyright.PENANApplAU6cOeH
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才沒走幾步,果不其然——山壁之上,幾道灰影一閃而過。那不是飛鳥,而是號角獸人。那雙銳利的眼睛正從岩壁的裂縫裡盯著他們,像是狼在灌木後窺視獵物。23Please respect copyright.PENANAFXEthIUDyP
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塔庫魯這時眉頭一皺,腦海中浮現的是主機傳來的提示。23Please respect copyright.PENANA9X4lSLEbuv
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根據資料庫的紀錄,這些號角獸人對領地的執著堪比猛虎護幼。傳說中聖果奇草的產量稀少又珍貴,是他們族中藥師與巫者的關鍵資源。也正因如此,他們一旦察覺有外來者靠近「自家菜園」,絕對會主動出擊,毫不留情。23Please respect copyright.PENANATLyoICTICP
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塔庫魯低聲咕噥一句:「這地兒,真是連呼吸都得小心了。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAwso2OCD2W3
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幽暗的山徑間,一陣風掃過,草叢與岩壁間傳來一連串細微的「喀喀」聲,像是骨節摩擦,又像是什麼硬物抓在石頭上爬行的聲音。23Please respect copyright.PENANA5zYiUERBG7
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隊伍中的金蝗城女戰士伊芙娜率先警覺,她弓著身形,低聲對韓寧道:「他們在逼近,從上面來。」23Please respect copyright.PENANARDnDCwEgZJ
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下一秒,山壁上就爆出一聲悶響,一道身影自高處縱身而下,如飛矢般朝著隊尾的泰倫斯撲來!那是一名號角獸人,體形修長,膚色帶著灰綠,額頭兩支粗壯彎角如公羊,利爪閃爍著寒光,披著獸皮鎧甲,模樣兇狠而詭異。23Please respect copyright.PENANAI651Awd2jU
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「小心!」塔庫魯大吼,反手一揮,手中的鐵矛帶著破風聲橫掃過去,正好把那名撲下的獸人擊飛到一旁的岩壁上,撞得骨裂聲乍響,當場昏死過去。23Please respect copyright.PENANApX98jFYijD
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但這只是開始。23Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1fnw2auFw
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三、四名號角獸人幾乎同時從不同的角落竄出,有的貼著岩壁爬行,有的從山徑另一端包抄而來,靈活得像是猿猴與蛇的混合體。山風中隱隱傳來一聲長嘯,像是某種訊號。23Please respect copyright.PENANA5CmHyqu1Kn
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「成群出沒……我們被包圍了!」夸斯特拔劍在手,站在公主身前戒備。23Please respect copyright.PENANARLdoQZo2hI
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韓寧則低聲咒語連連,掌心亮起淡紅色火光,火蓮之力在她手中蠢蠢欲動:「我來清場。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAxHU6Jzcsqu
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「等等!」塔庫魯一手擋下她,「這些傢伙怕火沒錯,但要是我們火力太猛,引來整個部族的獸人,這條山就成了他們的陷阱。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAuap4WcpAFJ
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「那還有什麼辦法?我們人數不夠,火又不能放……」露西嘴角抽搐。23Please respect copyright.PENANASfm3qqatj6
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艾利歐特此時從隊尾衝上前,眸光一凝,雙手間浮現一道光盾,他一面防守一面問:「塔庫魯,有沒有什麼讓他們停手的辦法?你不是對這些怪東西的習性很熟?」23Please respect copyright.PENANAM9ywUMeeH8
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塔庫魯一邊揮動雙手大斧抵擋攻勢,一邊喘氣說道:「他們是為聖果奇草來的……也就是說,他們以為我們要搶他們的地盤。我記得……他們會接受貢品作為和平的信號!」23Please respect copyright.PENANAueDWJpzZ4o
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「貢品?我們又沒準備——」蓋達話還沒說完,塔庫魯已經從腰側的布包裡翻出幾顆淡青色、被小心包裹的果子。23Please respect copyright.PENANAHGcS8HbAwz
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「霜雲果。」他喊道,「拿這東西出來擺明我們不是敵人!」23Please respect copyright.PENANAGVpNPM6ZDI
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他快步跑到山徑中央,把幾枚果子高高舉起,然後慢慢放到地上,雙膝跪地,雙手張開,做出一種極為罕見的臣服式動作。23Please respect copyright.PENANAbOwkzB4Oe7
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號角獸人們動作一頓,從四面八方傳來低聲的嗅聞與咕噥。那些貼著山壁的獸人停住了,幾名看起來像是首領的獸人從高處跳下,步履靜謐地靠近那幾顆霜雲果,半信半疑地嗅了嗅。23Please respect copyright.PENANAaC5Bj2OCQC
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然後,他們其中一人點了點頭,發出低低的咆哮聲,似是在通傳命令。23Please respect copyright.PENANAGyAmDHajq9
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眨眼間,那些來勢洶洶的獸人便如潮水般退去,隱入了山壁縫隙與陰影之中,只留下陣陣野性的氣息與幽深的凝視,像是警告,又像是在說:「你們可以走,但別再來第二次。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAMkvuYaNaUA
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塔庫魯長出一口氣,轉身對眾人說:「這就算……勉強過關了。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAuN0ZAHUTSK
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雖說隊伍已成功化解了與號角獸人的第一次衝突,但他們在山徑上前行時,仍能感受到那些潛藏於山壁之上的目光——陰影中閃爍的野性眼神,如刀鋒般銳利。每當風吹過岩縫,總彷彿能聽見某種鼻息聲,低沉而有節奏,像是一群掠食者在忍耐與觀察。23Please respect copyright.PENANA603aSL3z11
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韓寧皺起眉,低聲對走在最前方的老兵說道:「加快腳步,我們得趕在他們耐性用盡前離開這片地盤。我不想在夜裡和那群鬼魅般的獸人打起來。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAws8b1534H1
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老兵點點頭,隨即舉手做了幾個手勢,讓隊伍開始加速。夸斯特與泰倫斯也將隊伍收得更緊密,生怕哪位隊員落單,成了山壁上那些幽影的晚餐。23Please respect copyright.PENANAp3pDzzSKpT
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他們一路走到一處天然形成的小湖泊,四周被石壁與古樹圍繞,而湖的一端正有一條小瀑布從高處落下,水聲如雷,瀑布與湖泊相連,又從另一端的峽縫中流出,順著碎石與斷崖奔流而下,聲勢浩大。整個地方水霧繚繞,潮濕且喧鬧,談話都得提高聲音。23Please respect copyright.PENANAec8L97D0ct
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「這兒過夜?」露西皺了皺鼻子,「我們會被吵得連夢都沒得做。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAuRCMeuPl1Q
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「但這裡安全,」夸斯特回答,「聲音雖大,但水流能掩蓋我們的動靜,也不容易被野獸察覺。至少今晚能安心點。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAvSP7DMKrMY
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晚餐後,眾人三三兩兩地散開,有的在調整裝備,有的靠在岩石上休息。就在這時,派緹與艾利歐特悄悄地走向蓋達,找他談話。23Please respect copyright.PENANAU9ZD9nGXAp
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「蓋達,昨晚城主夫人去找艾利歐特的事……你也在現場對吧?」派緹眼神銳利,語氣雖輕,但有種不容逃避的氣勢,「你說說,那女人到底想幹什麼?」23Please respect copyright.PENANA1wrSfJKc2T
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蓋達撓撓頭,一臉誠懇地道:「那個嘛……塔庫魯說過,別隨便講別人的事……我就只能說,塔庫魯認為艾利歐特是個正人君子,應該不會越矩的……應該吧。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAZGWwxez4cY
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艾利歐特一臉難以置信地看著他,嘴角抽了抽,低聲說:「蓋達,我是讓你幫我說清楚的,不是叫你來講繞口令的。」23Please respect copyright.PENANA2YgHy2zXg9
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「可我覺得我這樣講比較……穩妥嘛!」蓋達很委屈地抓抓頭,「反正妳們要是信不過,那……那就去問塔庫魯啊。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAKidLIMXBCa
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派緹翻了個大白眼,抱臂冷哼:「塔庫魯?拜託,他比你還單純。去問他,只會再得到一句什麼『艾利歐特看起來是個好人』之類的屁話。」23Please respect copyright.PENANAre3PpnuL9K
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她瞥了一眼艾利歐特,語氣諷刺又有點倦意:「你這兩個死黨啊,倒是挺會護著你……護得我們什麼都搞不清楚。」23Please respect copyright.PENANA6sTWp83mxZ
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艾利歐特苦笑了一下,一時也無言以對。23Please respect copyright.PENANAlyInZJpaeT
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遠處,塔庫魯正在用雙手撈水洗臉,神情專注,對這場小小的糾紛一無所知。他仍以為一切都像溪水般平靜,沒想到湖面底下,早已暗潮洶湧。